The University of Minnesota named the Larry and Paula Goslee Family of Austin as its Mower County “2018 Farm Family of the Year” on Thursday.

The Goslee Farm in Mower County’s London Township has been in the family for 160 years. Larry’s great-grandfather, James P. Goslee, started the farm, which was passed down to his son, James H. Goslee. In 1972, Larry began his farming career on the land.

Larry started with a few gilts and a farrow-to-finish operation. The Goslees also raised a few head of beef animals for 4-H projects. Larry and Paula began crop farming in 1974, raising corn and soybeans on his mother’s 160 acres. Over the years the farm has grown to 2,000 acres, with half of it owned and the other half rented.

Larry and Paula are the owners and operators of the farm, but running it is a family affair. The Goslees have three married children and eight grandchildren

Their sons, Aaron and Justin, help run the farm in addition to their off-farm jobs. All the grandchildren help with rock picking in the spring and work as needed to help keep the operation running.

The Goslee Family will be recognized on Tuesday, Aug. 7, during the opening ceremony of the Mower County Fair at the Mower County Fairgrounds.

They will also be recognized, along with selected families from other counties, in a ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 9, at the annual Farmfest near Redwood Falls.

Families receiving honors were selected by their local county Extension committees and have demonstrated a commitment to enhancing and supporting agriculture and agriculture production.

“These farm families are a major driver of Minnesota’s economy and the vitality of Minnesota’s rural communities,” said Bev Durgan, dean of University of Minnesota Extension. “The University of Minnesota is proud to recognize these farm families for their contributions to agriculture and their communities.”

Along with Farmfest, University units sponsoring the recognition event include University of Minnesota Extension, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, and the College of Veterinary Medicine.